Apparatus for kneading portioned dough pieces

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for portioning and kneading pieces of dough has a rotatably mounted drum driven for continuous rotational movement and provided with a plurality of receiving openings for the dough to be kneaded. Disposed above the drum is a kneading tool formed by an endless band guided over two guide rollers, however, spaced apart a predetermined distance from the periphery of the drum. The band is mounted on a support member which is shiftably supported on a profiled shaft in the longitudinal direction thereof and is driven to a reciprocating movement. The band carries out a circular movement for carrying out the kneading process on the dough pieces positioned in the receiving openings. Since the band moves with the drum, a long period of time is available to carry out the kneading process.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to an apparatus for kneading of portioned doughpieces. The apparatus has a frame in which a drum is bearingly supportedwhich continuously rotates around a horizontal axis, and which isprovided on its periphery with receiving openings for the dough pieces.A kneading tool is bearingly supported on a carrier member whichpreferably is disposed above the drum, which kneading tool is providedwith a recess which during the kneading process executes a circularmovement relative to the neighboring receiving opening and in additionto this movement is taken along with the peripheral movement of the drumduring the kneading process.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In a known apparatus disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,960,367, the kneadingtool is a plate carried by the carrier member which is formed as aswivel arm. The carrier member is swivelable around the axis of the drumand is swivelled together with the continuous movement of the drum froma starting position to an end position, the kneading process beingeffected during the swivel motion. As soon as the end position isreached, the swivel arm is led back again to its starting position underthe action of a spring. Such an apparatus has the advantage that arelatively large amount of time is at the disposal for the kneadingprocess so that the kneading result is sufficient. However, there is thedisadvantage that the carrier member is primarily by impact returned toits starting position, with the result that disturbing machine noise iscreated, and impact-like stresses imparted to the machine may result inearly wear or breakage of the elements. A further disadvantage is that aportion of the driving power of the machine is needed to tension thespring which after release returns the swivel arm back to its startingposition, which means that a portion of the power expenditure isneedlessly lost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide an improved apparatus whereinthe known disadvantages of the prior art devices are avoided and thekneading result is maintained or even increased whereby the duration oflife of the apparatus is substantially increased and machine noise isdecreased when compared with the known prior art construction.

According to the present invention, the kneading tool is a band providedwith a plurality of recesses, which band is driven for revolution in adirection of rotation of the drum so that one of its recesses is alwaysdisposed opposite to a receiving opening of the drum. The band is ledover at least two deflecting points disposed on the carrier member andspaced apart from each other in a peripheral direction of the drum,preferably over guide pulleys, and is driven to a circular kneadingmotion of its recess relative to the receiving opening of the drum. Thecarrier member is slidably retained in the frame in a directionperpendicular to the running direction of the band. By the revolutionmotion of the band, a new recess of the band is presented for eachsubsequent receiving opening of the drum for effecting the kneadingprocess without the requirement that the band has to be returned to itsstarting position as is necessary with the carrier of the prior artconstruction.

The respective effective recess of the band runs together with itscooperating receiving opening of the drum and executes relative to thereceiving opening a circular motion necessary for the kneading process.The recess remains effective substantially until the band is guided overthe subsequent deflecting point (as seen in a direction of rotation ofthe drum) and thereby the band with its recess is removed from thecircumference of the drum. It is necessary to make the carrier membershiftable in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the drum or to thedirection of movement of the band in order to allow the circular motionof the band.

According to the present invention, the circular motion could beachieved by making the carrier member of the band shiftable not onlyperpendicularly to the running direction of the band but also in thisrunning direction, the two components of the movement completing eachother to a circular movement of the carrier member and, therefore, ofthe band, by means of a suitable drive device. It is, however, accordingto the invention, more feasible for the carrier member to drive theband, in addition to its revolutionary motion, to a reciprocatingmovement superimposed to the revolutionary movement and directed in thesame sense, and to drive the carrier member by a drive device to areciprocating movement directed perpendicularly thereto. Thereciprocating movement of the band completes the transverse shifting ofthe band caused by shifting the carrier member to the circular kneadingmovement of the band. In other words, in addition to the revolutionarymovement of the band and to the movement of the band in a direction ofthe axis of the drum caused by the carrier member, a further movement ofthe band is superimposed which has as a consequence a slow down or anacceleration of the revolutionary movement of the band. The superimposedmovement together with the movement of the band caused by the shiftingdisplacement of the carrier member results in the circular kneadingmovement of the band.

The revolutionary movement of the band can be produced by driving atleast one of the guide pulleys. In order to avoid slippage, it is,however, more favorable according to the invention to provide the bandwith a drive device, for example a row of perforations or a corrugation,or to connect the band to a member having a suitable drive device, forexample to a linked chain. The drive device for effecting therevolutionary motion of the band is driven from a driving wheel, forexample a pinion, disposed on the carrier and driven for rotation.Thereby the desired movement of the band is always ensured.

According to a further feature of the invention, in a particularlysimple embodiment the pinion is disposed coaxially to one of the guidepulleys and preferably is driven therefrom.

Suitably the lower section of the band does not engage the circumferenceof the drum, but the band is guided spaced apart from the circumferenceof the drum by at least one link connected to the carrier member. Thisresults in a careful treatment of the band. The distance may, but mustnot, be constant over the effective length of the band. The distance mayincrease with increasing duration of the kneading process in order tocomply with the fact that with increasing duration of the kneadingprocess more and more space is required because the shape of the doughpiece is changed over to a ball.

The band may be a linked band composed of a plurality of plates, withthe plates being provided on one side with cut-outs forming recesses. Inorder to keep weight to a minimum, the plates suitably are oflightweight metal, preferably aluminum. Always one recess may beprovided on one plate. In order to facilitate the revolutionary movementof the band over the guide points, it is, however, suitable to keep thesingle plates comparatively narrow so that, as a rule, the cut-outsforming a common recess extend over more than one plate.

However, according to the invention, the band may also in anadvantageous manner be a textile belt, preferably of synthetic plasticmaterial, provided with recesses, which belt preferably is provided witha toothed system or a series of perforations for driving the belt from atoothed system of the driven guide roller.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent from a reading of the detailed description thereof taken inconjunction with the drawings appended hereto.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a first embodiment of the apparatus in a verticalsection taken perpendicularly to the axis of the drum;

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternate embodiment of the invention, in section,taken through the axis of the drum;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged scale view of the detail of the construction andguiding of the band formed as a linked band;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the band taken along line IV--IV of FIG.3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of a further embodiment of theapparatus taken perpendicularly to the axis of the drum;

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view through the axis of the drumaccording to FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the detail of the band according to thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

In a frame 1, a tube piece 2 (FIG. 2) is disposed with a horizontalaxis, in which by means of two anti-friction bearings 3 the shaft 4 of adrum 5 is bearingly supported. The drum 5 is driven for a continuousrotation by means of a motor 6 (FIG. 1) having an adjustable gearingmeans 7. For this purpose, a pinion 9 is keyed to a driven shaft 8 ofthe gearing means 7. The pinion drives a toothed disc 11 which is keyedto the shaft 4 of the drum 5 by means of a chain 10 (FIG. 2). The drumis provided on its circumference with a plurality of receiving openings12 having a hexagonal cross section, which openings are disposed in aplurality of rows extending parallel to the axis of the drum. In thepreferred embodiment, there are six rows with two openings 12 each,which are spaced apart from each other in equal distances measured inthe peripheral direction of the drum 5. Dough fed through a hopper 14 ispressed on a portioning location 13 (FIG. 1) into the receiving openings12. For this a pressing-in-member 15 is provided which is fixed againstrotation to a shaft 16 bearingly supported for rotation in the frame 1.A swivelling lever 17 is fixed to the shaft 16 and is provided with anelongated slot 18 in which a pinion 19 of a double lever 20 slides. Thedouble lever is pivotally supported in the frame 1 around a pivot 21 andon its other end is pivotally connected to a connecting rod 22 which inturn is pivotally connected to a crank 23 fixed to the driven shaft 8 ofthe motor 6. The pressing-in-member 15 executes a rhythmical pivotalmovement around the axis of the shaft 16 by which movement dough ispressed through an opening 24 into the receiving openings 12 passing theportioning location 13. A shearing edge 25 is provided to strip off theexcess dough, and is disposed on an exchangeable gland 26, preferablyconstructed of synthetic plastic material, which can be pulled out ofthe frame 1 sidewise in order to facilitate cleaning.

As can be seen from FIG. 1, the portioning location 13 is disposed onthat side of the drum 5 on which the receiving openings 12 moveupwardly, because the drum 5 rotates in a direction indicated by arrow27. In the region of the summit of the drum 5, a kneading location 28 isdisposed in which the dough pieces disposed in the receiving openings 12are subjected to a kneading operation, and on the side of the drum 5opposite the portioning location 13 a laying-off location 29 is disposedat which the dough pieces from the receiving openings 12 are laid on aconveyer belt 30 which travels in the direction indicated by arrow 31.

A piston 32 is provided in each receiving opening 12 which isreciprocable in the respective receiving opening 12 in a radialdirection relative to the drum 5. Each piston 32 is hinged on its sidefacing the axis of the drum to a strap 33 (FIG. 3) which on its innerend carries a roller 34 disposed in a rotating groove 35 of a cam disc36 adjustably disposed within the drum 5. Further, the inner end of eachstrap 33 is hinged to a further strap 37 hinged to the drum 5 by meansof a pin 38. Thereby for each piston 32 such a position within itsreceiving opening 12 is achieved which is defined by the distance ofthat place of the groove 35 from the axis of the drum 5, at which placethe respective roller 34 is disposed. This distance changes duringrotation of the drum 5 because the groove 35 is curved, for example, asfollows. On the portioning location 13 (FIG. 1) the piston 32 isretracted in the receiving opening 12 in order to make room for thedough pressed by the pressing-in-member 15 into the receiving opening12. The distance for which the piston 32 is retracted defines the volumeof the dough piece portioned at the portioning location 13 per receivingopening 12. During further rotation of the drum 5 the piston 32 remainssubstantially in its retracted position until the respective receivingopening 12 reaches the region of the kneading location 28. Then, at thestart of the kneading operation the piston 32 is slightly advanced inorder to press the dough piece to be kneaded to a kneading tool 39(FIG. 1) which will be described later in more detail. When thereceiving opening 12 passes the kneading location 28, the piston 32 iscontinuously retracted in order to allow the dough piece in thereceiving opening 12 to change to a ball-shaped configuration during thekneading process, which configuration requires more space. As soon asthe receiving opening 12 has reached the laying-off location 29, thepiston 32 is advanced to the circumference 40 of the drum 5 so that thecompletely kneaded dough piece is pushed out of the receiving opening 12and is laid onto the conveyor belt 30. During the further rotation ofthe drum 5 the piston 32 remains at first in the advanced position untilit is somewhat retracted in the region of the lower summit of the drumin order to make the inner wall of the receiving opening 12 ready for aneffective flouring operation for which a flouring device 41 is disposedbelow the drum 5. The flouring device consists of a rotating brush 42 towhich the flour is fed by means of a screw 43. The bristles of the brushtouch an edge 44 of the housing and thereby throw the flour towards thepassing receiving opening 12.

After having passed the flouring device 41, the receiving opening 12again reaches the portioning location 13 and the cycle starts anew.

The corresponding shape of the groove 35 has been shown in FIG. 1 withdash and dot lines.

In order to change the weight of the portioned dough piece, the distancefor which the piston 32 is retracted at the portioning location 13 isadjustable. For this purpose, the cam disc 36 is pivotally supported ata point 45 (FIG. 1) in the frame 1 and is connected by means of a hingeto a connecting rod 46, the other end thereof being connected by meansof a hinge to a crank 47 pivotally beared in the frame 1, which crankcan be adjusted by means of a screw drive 48 and a hand wheel 49.

An oiling device 50 can be provided in place of or in addition to theflouring device 41. The oiling device includes a pump for the oil to besupplied, which oil is sprayed from below towards the drum 5 by means ofa nozzle.

Dough particles adhering to the circumference 40 of the drum 5 arestripped off by means of a brush bearingly supported in the frame 1 anddriven for rotation.

For facilitating the transition of the completed kneaded dough pieceonto the conveyer belt 30 the belt is guided near the drum 5 over asmall guide roller 51 above which a press roller 52 rotatably bears on alever 53, the inclination of which can be adjusted by means of aneccentric 54 so that the distance between the drum 5 and the pressroller 52 can be adjusted. The press roller 52 is driven by means of atoothed belt 55 from a tensioning roller 56 disposed below the conveyerbelt 30 which is guided over the circumference of the tensioning roller.A further roller 57 ensures a sufficiently large angle with which theconveyer belt 30 embraces the tensioning roller 56. The dough piecepushed off the receiving opening 12 is drawn off the drum 5 by the pressroller 52.

The kneading tool 39 is formed by an endless band 58 which is guidedover two guide rollers 59 and 60 spaced apart from each other asubstantial distance (measured in the circumferential direction of thedrum 5) and bearingly supported on a common carrier member 61 with theiraxes parallel to the axis of the drum. The carrier member is shiftablysupported in the frame 1 in the direction of the axis of the shaft 4 ofthe drum 5. For this purpose the carrier member is provided on its edgedisposed above the lay-off-location 29 with at least two rollers 62running in a U-shaped guide rail 63 of the frame 1. Further, the carriermember 61 is slipped with its guide roller 60 shiftable in the samedirection on a profiled shaft 64 formed as a shaft having a plurality ofedges (FIGS. 1 and 2). The reciprocating shift of the carrier member 61in the direction of the axis of the drum 5 is indicated by a doublearrow 103 in FIG. 2. The shift is caused by a drive device 104, thecarrier member 61 carrying a vertical plug 66 connected by means of aconnecting rod 67 to an eccentric pin 70 of a crank 68 driven by meansof a bevel wheel gear 69 from a sprocket wheel 71. The sprocket wheel 71is driven by a chain 72 from a larger toothed disc 73 fixed to a sleeve74 slipped for rotation on an elongation 75 of the shaft 4 of the drum 5and carrying a sprocket wheel 76 driven by a chain 77 (FIG. 1) from alarger sprocket wheel 78 keyed to the driven shaft 8 of the adjustablegearing means 7 driven from the motor 6.

As a drive device 105 for the rotational movement of the profiled shaft64, the sleeve 74 carries a pinion 79 on its end facing the drum 5,which pinion meshes with a small pinion 80 fixed to the one front end ofa small shaft 81 bearingly supported for rotation in a flange 82 of thetoothed disc 11 and carrying on its other end a crank 83. An eccentricpin 84 of the crank 83 is pivotably connected by means of a connectionrod 85 to a driver 90 of a pinion 86 slipped for rotation on the tubepiece 2. The pinion 86 meshes with a small pinion 87 fixed to the onefront end of the profiled shaft 64, which end is bearingly supported ina flange 89 of the frame 1, whereas the other end of the profiled shaft64 is bearingly supported for rotation in a bearing 88 of the frame 1.As already mentioned, the toothed disc 11 is driven from the motor 6 bymeans of the chain 10.

The profiled shaft 64 is driven to a rotational movement composed of twocomponents: The one component is the rotational movement of the tootheddisc 11 which by means of the driver 90 is transferred to the pinion 86and thus to the profiled shaft 64. The other component is created by therotational movement of the crank 83 which also by means of the driver 90is transferred to the pinion 86 and causes a reciprocating movement ofthe pinion 86, which movement is superimposed to the mere rotationalmovement of the toothed disc 11. This reciprocating movement causes acontinuous acceleration or, alternatively, slow down of the rotation ofthe small pinion 87 so that the profiled shaft 64 is driven with aperiodically varying speed. The rotation of the profiled shaft 64 iscomposed with the reciprocating movement of the carrier member 61 in adirection of the double arrow 65 and created by the drive device 104 toa circular movement of the band 58 forming the kneading tool 39.

The drive component exerted over the toothed disc 11 to the profiledshaft 64 must by suitable selection of the gear ratio of the pinions beso chosen that the band 58 despite its circular kneading movementrevolves with the same peripheral velocity as the circumference 40 ofthe drum 5. The amplitude and the speed of the circular kneadingmovement is chosen corresponding to the given circumstances. Changes ofthis movement are possible by changing the gear ratios of the drivedevices 104 and 105 which act on the carrier member 61 or on the band 58for the kneading movement.

For carrying out the kneading process, the band 58 on its outer surface91 facing the circumference 40 of the drum 5 has a plurality of recesses92 (FIG. 3) spaced apart in equal distances from each other, the wallsthereof are stepwisely shaped in order to ensure a good grip on thedough piece during the circular movement of the kneading tool 39. Therecesses 92 may be worked into a continuous band, for example ofsynthetic plastic material, or, as shown in FIG. 3, the band may becomposed of a plurality of plates 93 as an articulated band. Because theband 58 must be guided along the guide rollers 59 and 60, it is suitableto select the width of the plates 93, measured in a running direction,such that they are not too large in order to avoid difficulties whenturning round the band. Because the recesses with their greatestdiameter should not be much smaller than the largest transversedimension of the receiving opening 12, it is suitable to divide therecesses 92 over two adjacent plates 93 each, if desired even over threeor four such plates, each plate 93 having cut-outs 94 which are composedof a recess 92. Each plate 93 (FIGS. 3 and 4) is provided on both itsfront ends with two inserted pins 95 forming the link pins of anarticulated chain 96 running together with the band 58 on the side edge97 thereof and serving on the one hand as a drive for the band for therevolutionary movement thereof, and on the other hand as a guide meansfor the band 58 so that the band is kept at a predetermined distance a(FIGS. 1 and 3) from the circumference 40 of the drum 5. For thispurpose, the articulated chain 96 forms a row of perforations 98, whichperforations mesh with the teeth of a toothed wheel (FIGS. 3 and 4)forming a driving wheel 99 for the band 58, which toothed wheel 99 isdriven for rotation in the rhythm of the profiled shaft 64. For thispurpose, the toothed wheel 99 is fixedly secured against rotation to theprofiled shaft 64 while, however, being displacable lengthwise thereofin order to allow a transverse shift of the carrier member 61 in whichthe toothed wheel 99 is disposed. As a result of this toothedwheel-drive, it is ensured that the band 58 always runs correctly withthe drum 5 and that a receiving opening 12 is always disposed below arecess 92 to carry out the kneading process.

The guidance of the band 58 at the distance a spaced apart from thecircumference of the drum is ensured by providing the pins 95 withprotrusions 100 extending laterally beyond the articulated chain 96,which slide in a longitudinal groove 101 forming a link provided in asidewall 102 of the carrier member 61 extending at the side of the band58. Suitably such longitudinal grooves 101 form a guide means providedon both side edges 97 of the band 58.

After having passed the shearing edge 25, the dough piece pressed at theportioning location 13 into the receiving opening 12 is brought into aposition below the kneading tool 39 which extends over a considerablesection of the periphery of the drum 5, suitably over at least 45°, andpreferably about 60° to 80°. Thereby a long time period is available forthe kneading process so that perfectly kneaded dough portions are putonto the conveyer belt at the laying-off position 29. Very short cycletimes can be achieved so that the apparatus has a high efficiency, forexample 50 to 60 strokes per minute.

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, the drivemeans of the drum 5 is substantially the same as that of the embodimentaccording to FIGS. 1 to 4. A difference, however, is the construction ofthe drive device 104 for the reciprocating movement of the carriermember 61 in the direction of the double arrow 103 and the drive device105 for the rotational movement of the profiled shaft 64 to whichmovement of an oscillating component is superimposed which is insynchronism with the reciprocating movement of the carrier member 61.Both drive devices 104 and 105 are energized by a common motor 106disposed within the frame 1 which drives the bevel wheel gear 69. Fromthe driven shaft thereof the reciprocating movement of the carriermember 61 in the direction of the double arrow 103 is achieved by meansof the crank 68, the eccentric pin 70 and the connecting rod 67 asdescribed in connection with the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 4.However, one end of a further connecting rod 107 is articulated to theeccentric pin 70, while the other end thereof is articulated to the pin108 fixed on an oscillating arm 109 disposed for free rotation on anelongation 110 of the profiled shaft 64, which elongation has the shapeof a round bar (FIG. 6). Three sprocket wheels 111, 112 and 113 arebearingly supported for rotation on the oscillating arm 109, over whichwheels a chain 114 is guided such that it embraces the upper peripheralsection of the two outer sprocket wheels 111 and 113 and the lowerperipheral section of the central sprocket wheel 112. The chain 114 isdriven from a drive sprocket wheel 115 fixed to the driven shaft of themotor 6 and disposed coaxially to the pinion 9. The central sprocketwheel 112 is secured for rotation with the elongation 110 of theprofiled shaft 64. The constant component of the rotational movement ofthe profiled shaft 64, therefore, is done by means of the chain 114, andthe oscillating component superimposed over this component is done bymeans of the oscillating arm 109, because the two outer sprocket wheels111 and 113, forming guide sprocket wheels, are driven as such with acontinuous angular velocity by the drive sprocket wheel 115 for movingthe band 58 in the direction of the periphery of the drum 5, however, tothis movement the oscillating movement of the oscillating arm 109 issuperimposed, which movement is transformed into an oscillating drivemovement of the central sprocket wheel 112 and, therefore, of theprofiled shaft 64.

The drum 5 is driven from the driven shaft 8 of the motor 6 via thepinion 9, the chain 10, and the toothed disc 11 keyed to the shaft 4 ofthe drum. The ratios of the diameters of the sprocket wheels 9, 11, 115and 112 must be so coordinated that, when the drum 5 rotates, a recess92 is always disposed above a receiving opening 12 for carrying out thekneading process.

The motor 106 may be operated with variable speed of its driven shaft orthe bevel wheel gear 69 may be an adjustable-speed gear drive. Therebythe number of revolutions of the kneading tool or, respectively, of therecesses 92 of the kneading band 58 which act on the dough piecedisposed within the receiving opening 12 during the kneading process,may be varied.

As shown in FIG. 7, the band 58 can also be a toothed belt provided withdrivers for ensuring its drive movement in the direction of theperiphery of the drum 5. In the exemplary embodiment shown, thesedrivers are formed by a row of perforations 116 disposed at the edge ofthe band 58, and meshing with teeth 117 fixed either directly to theguide roller 60 or to the pinion forming the driving wheel 99 andsecured for rotation with the guide roller 60 or, respectively, with theprofiled shaft 64. Instead of the row of perforations 116 and the teeth117 a suitable corrugation of the band 58 or of the guide roller 60 maybe used. Such bands 58 may be easily formed as textiled belts,preferably of synthetic plastic material.

For relatively large applications it would be possible to provide morethan four rows, for example, six rows of receiving openings 12 dividedover the periphery of the drum 5.

I claim:
 1. An apparatus for kneading portioned dough piecescomprising:a frame; a drum rotatably mounted to said frame, said drumhaving an axis of rotation and a substantially circular peripheralsurface, said substantially circular peripheral surface having a firstplurality of spaced apart cavities for receiving said portioned doughpieces, each of said cavities being spaced apart a first predetermineddistance and having a central axis coaxial with a radius of saidsubstantially circular peripheral surface; first drive means forrotating said drum about said axis of rotation in a first predetermineddirection; a carrier member mounted adjacent to said frame in spacedrelationship to a portion of said substantially circular peripheralsurface of said drum; first and second guide members mounted to saidcarrier member, said first guide member being spaced apart from saidsecond guide member a second predetermined distance along said portionof said substantially circular peripheral surface of said drum; akneading band rotatably mounted to said first and second guide members;said kneading band having an outer surface with a second plurality ofspaced apart cavities therein, at least one cavity of said secondplurality of spaced apart cavities on said kneading band correspondingto and being complementary with any one of said first plurality ofspaced apart cavities on said substantially circular peripheral surfaceof said drum; and means for circularly orbiting said at least one cavityof said second plurality of spaced apart cavities of said kneading bandabout said central axis of each respective cavity of said firstplurality of spaced apart cavities of said drum, said means forcircularly orbiting said at least one cavity of said second plurality ofspaced apart cavities comprising second drive means for rotating saidkneading band on said first and second guide members in a directionsubstantially parallel to said first predetermined direction of rotationof said drum about said axis of rotation such that when a portioneddough piece is placed in any one cavity of said first plurality ofspaced apart cavities of said drum and said first drive means moves saiddrum in said first predetermined direction towards said kneading band,said second drive means will move said kneading band substantiallyparallel to said first predetermined direction along said secondpredetermined distance of said portion of said substantially circularperipheral surface and said at least one cavity of said second pluralityof spaced apart cavities will be complemented by said any one cavity ofsaid first plurality of spaced apart cavities and said means forcircularly orbiting said at least one cavity of said second plurality ofspaced apart cavities will knead said portioned dough pieces as any onecavity of said first plurality of spaced apart cavities travels along aportion of said substantially circular peripheral surface of said drum.2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said carrier member isdisposed above said drum.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid first and second guide members are guide pulleys rotatably mountedto said carrier member.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid second drive means for rotating said kneading band imparts areciprocating movement to said kneading band as said kneading band movesalong said second predetermined distance along said direction ofrotation of said drum, whereby said rotary motion of said second drivemeans and said reciprocating movement result in a circular orbitingmovement of said at least one cavity of said second plurality of spacedapart cavities of said kneading band.
 5. The apparatus according toclaim 4, wherein said second drive means for reciprocating said carriermember comprises an eccentric pin connected to said carrier member by aconnecting rod, said eccentric pin being driven by a motor.
 6. Theapparatus according to claim 5, wherein said drum is rotatably supportedby said frame on a shaft and wherein said second drive means forreciprocating said carrier member further comprises:a sleeve coaxiallydisposed with said shaft of said motor and driven thereby; a firstpinion mounted to said sleeve; and a toothed disc rotatably carried bysaid shaft for complementary rotation with said first pinion.
 7. Theapparatus according to claim 4, wherein said second drive means forrotating said kneading band further comprises:a swivel arm swivellablyconnected to said carrier member for superimposing said circularorbiting motion upon said kneading band while said kneading band isrotated; and a drive wheel mounted coaxial with said swivel arm fordriving said kneading band along said first predetermined direction ofrotation of said drum, said swivel arm being synchronized with saidsecond drive means for reciprocating said carrier member.
 8. Theapparatus according to claim 7, wherein said swivel arm is synchronizedwith said second drive means for reciprocating said carrier member andfurther comprises a connecting rod having one end connected to saidswivel arm and an eccentric pin connected to the opposite end of saidconnecting rod for rotary movement therewith.
 9. The apparatus accordingto claim 8, further comprising a motor to drive said eccentric pin andwherein said motor also serves to reciprocate said carrier member. 10.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said second drive means forrotating said kneading band further comprises a driving wheel rotatablyattached to said carrier member.
 11. The apparatus according to claim10, wherein said driving wheel is disposed coaxially to one of saidfirst and second guide members and driven thereby.
 12. The apparatusaccording to claim 1, further comprising guide means for guiding saidkneading band in spaced apart relation from said circular peripheralsurface of said drum.
 13. The apparatus according to claim 12, whereinsaid guide means comprises a chain attached to an edge of said kneadingband and a groove disposed in said carrier member, said chain having aplurality of lateral protrusions engaging said groove for guiding saidkneading band in spaced apart relation from said circular peripheralsurface of said drum.
 14. The apparatus according to claim 1, whereinsaid second predetermined distance is a distance no less than said firstpredetermined distance.
 15. The apparatus according to claim 14, whereinsaid kneading band extends along at least a 45 degree arc along saidsubstantially circular peripheral surface of said drum.
 16. Theapparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:a shaft mountedcoaxially with said axis of rotation of said drum; a profiled shaftmounted to said frame substantially parallel to said axis of rotation ofsaid drum and coupled to said second drive means for rotating saidkneading band; and wherein said carrier member is slidably guided onsaid profiled shaft, said profiled shaft transmitting rotative motion tosaid second drive means and said kneading band.
 17. The apparatusaccording to claim 16, further comprising roller elements disposedbetween said carrier member and said frame and wherein said carriermember is slidably supported at one end by said profiled shaft and at anoppositely disposed end by said roller elements.
 18. The apparatusaccording to claim 16, wherein said second drive means for rotating saidkneading band comprises:a first pinion mounted rotatably coaxial withsaid shaft of said drum; a second pinion mounted to said profiled shaft,said second pinion meshing with said first pinion, said second pinionfurther having coupling means for coupling said second pinion to a discwhich is driven by said first drive means for driving said drum, saidcoupling means comprising a driver rotatably engaging said secondpinion; a connecting rod engaging said driver; an eccentric pin havingone end engaging said connecting rod; a crank having a central axismounted parallel to said axis of rotation of said drum and mountedcontiguous said eccentric pin; and said opposite end of said eccentricpin being attached to said crank.
 19. The apparatus according to claim18, wherein said second drive means further comprises a second pinionmounted contiguous said first pinion wherein said crank is coupled tosaid second pinion and further wherein said second pinion connected tosaid crank meshes with said first pinion and is driven by said seconddrive means for the reciprocating movement of said carrier member. 20.The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said kneading band is a linkband comprising a plurality of plates, said plurality of plates havingsaid plurality of spaced apart cavities formed on one side thereof. 21.The apparatus according to claim 20, wherein each said cavity of saidplurality of cavities is formed by cut-outs defined in more than oneplate.
 22. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said kneadingband is a textile belt provided with said plurality of cavities, saidtextile belt having a perforation row for engaging said second drivemeans for rotating said kneading band.